Politics

20 January, 2025 at 2:30 PM 0 words

145 entries. 37,359 words.

January, 2006

Fat Cats Responsible. 2006-01-17 4:40 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m trying out a new feed reader today called Omea Reader. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but one thing I like is that you can “bookmark” (note obvious anti-Microsoft terminology) news web pages that haven’t made it into the RSS world yet. I can’t stand opening up a browser and slogging through a menu of 1000 favorites to find news, so this is a nifty feature for my lazy buttocks. 366 words.

May, 2006

Miller v. Webb. 2006-05-15 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the Virginia Democratic primaries coming up on June 13, it’s Harris Miller vs. Jim Webb. One of those two will go on to challenge George Allen for VA Senate in November. (It’s sort of like American Idol, except it isn’t stupid.) 378 words.
More Miller v. Webb. 2006-05-17 10:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Didn’t get around to posting this yesterday: Following up on my post from Monday about Jim Webb and Harris Miller… 225 words.
Early Propaganda From The Miller v. Webb Debate. 2006-05-19 6:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Interesting post from The Richmond Democrat (aka. Jim Webb shill headquarters): Breaking! Disaster at debate for Harris Miller! 424 words.
My Review Of The Miller v. Webb Debate. 2006-05-20 4:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Disclaimer: I am not at all qualified to judge political debates. 572 words.
Miller v. Webb: Observations. 2006-05-23 5:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Back to Webb and Miller for a bit. I never did finish my review of the debate, but it’s old news now. 383 words.
Summary Of George Allen\’s Voting Record. 2006-05-24 1:21 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In my continuing effort to figure out what the heck to do with my votes in June and November, here is my home grown summary of some of George Allen’s Voting Record, as reported by Project Vote Smart. I just picked categories that seemed interesting to me. 1,002 words.
Deducing Webb\’s Platform. 2006-05-24 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since Jim Webb and his supporters aren’t going to do it for me, I guess I’ll have to deduce his platform for myself. 532 words.
Miller\’s Agenda. 2006-05-24 5:52 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just to be thorough, here is a link to Harris Miller’s Agenda page, complete with bullet points and detailed explanations. (It’s even available in Spanish.) Ahh, that was easy. 29 words.
Webb\’s Positive Campaign So Far. 2006-05-24 9:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
To illustrate my “Webb supporters are just anti-Miller opponents” observation from yesterday, take a look at this sample. 160 words.
Rebellious George. 2006-05-25 2:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In case anyone was worried, I’m now convinced that George Allen is, in fact, the devil. On Hardball last night, the “aw shucks, I’m just a good ol’ Virginia boy” routine was particularly nauseauting. (By the way, do appearances on shows like Hardball during an election campaign count as election advertising? 238 words.
Yikes! A Strike Against Miller. 2006-05-25 8:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Much has been made of Harris Miller’s ITAA lobbying career. Since I’m a programmer, Information Technology is probably the single most important issue in any campaign for me, so I did a little browsing on their web site to get a sense of what the ITAA actually lobbies for. From all the negative press they were getting, I was bracing myself for something truly evil. 516 words.
H-1Bs And The Virginia Senate Race. 2006-05-28 10:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw some comments about me on another blog that made me laugh. Just for the record, I’m not in any way affiliated with Harris Miller, Jim Webb, or George Allen. I’m certainly not an “apologist” for any of them. 634 words.
Miller\’s Attack Ad. 2006-05-31 2:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw Harris Miller’s attack ad last night, which was described by Jim Webb’s campaign as “brutal, cynical, [and] negative.” (This from the people who always refer to Miller as “Corporate Lobbyist” Miller.) The first part of the ad talked about Miller’s platform (with specifics!) of firing Donald Rumsfeld and something else I can’t remember. And then as an after thought, it added that Jim Webb supported Republicans in 2000. Not exactly the cut-throat negative attack I was led to expect. 224 words.

June, 2006

The Fightin’ Seventh. 2006-06-02 4:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Well crap. Looks like I’ll have to start researching two more Congressional candidates. I had previously thought I wouldn’t have to worry about the 7th district because Eric Cantor didn’t have a challenger, but then I read this Breaking News about 7th CD on Virginia Centrist. 46 words.
It’s The End Of The World…. 2006-06-06 7:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since I have the good fortune to be working with a SQL query that takes about 15 minutes to execute, I have some spare writing time today. Sadly, just like yesterday, there is nothing particularly interesting to write about. Today’s trend in blogosphere conversation: D-Day and End Times. 200 words.
The Right Words For The Right Occasion. 2006-06-08 9:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Uh oh, the Virginia Democratic blogosphere is self-destructing again over the “jewbaiting” thing. 267 words.
WWJ[N]D?. 2006-06-09 4:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A quick note about our illustrious 7th district Rep. Eric Cantor: Last night, he voted against the Markey amendment protecting Net Neutrality (along with the majority of other Republicans). What Would James [Nachman] Do? 34 words.
Hardball Post-Mortem. 2006-06-09 4:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t have any new insights after the Webb/Miller Hardball “debate” last night. Not surprisingly, Webb won the charisma battle. Miller looked kind of shifty and nervous again. 244 words.
What To Watch In The Primary. 2006-06-11 3:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I won’t make a prediction on the Virginia Democratic primary Tuesday, because I don’t know anything about politics, and the outcome is relatively unimportant in the global scheme of things anyway. For me, the most interesting thing to observe about the primary results will be whether or not the Virginia Democratic blogosphere represents the typical Virginia Democratic voter. If Webb wins, the VD blogosphere (hyuk, hyuk) echoes the sentiments of “mainstream” Virginia Democrats. 83 words.
Mild Voter Apathy. 2006-06-13 10:49 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Democracy in action: At 5:30 PM, after the polls had been open for some 11 1/2 hours, Mrs. Krehbiel was voter #30 and I was voter #31 in our precinct. 31 words.
Post-Primary Pondering. 2006-06-14 5:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m pretty disappointed in the primary results, but probably not for reasons anyone would expect. Jim Webb is as good of a candidate as anyone else, and his Reagan Democrat status can only help him in the battle against George Allen. 255 words.
Post-Primary Partying. 2006-06-14 7:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Virginia bloggers are predictably taking credit for getting Jim Webb elected in the primary. 245 words.
Amateur Webb-Bashing Already Started. 2006-06-15 4:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Two days after the primary, Virginia conservative bloggers are already jumping into the mix with their own amateur campaigning, bashing Webb and telling us why Virginians shouldn’t vote for him. 111 words.
Virtucon Tries A Red Herring. 2006-06-16 12:44 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s an example of the seedy underbelly lying beneath George Allen’s “good ol’ boy” exterior – an example of the kind of “common sense leadership” he inspires in his campaign workers: Webb Campaign Steals Marvel Comics “How-To” Art For Flyer. I suppose we’ll be seeing quite a bit more of this kind of rhetoric in the near future. 200 words.
The Senate Debate Wars, Episode I. 2006-06-20 5:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sigh. Can’t politicians ever agree on anything? 258 words.
This Week In The Senate Race. 2006-06-23 6:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A new Zogby poll shows Allen leading Webb by a mere 5.3 points. Democrat blogs are validated, Republican blogs will talk about why political polls are irrelevant. (Isn’t it funny how opinion polls are so useful to support a position, but useless for opposing a position?) Anyway, don’t get too excited, because most people feel Zogby is not a very reliable poll. 233 words.
The Dullest Of Blog Entries. 2006-06-30 6:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
They say the difference between a “real writer” and a “struggling writer” is in their ability to write when they don’t feel like writing. So in that spirit, I am now writing a blog entry even though I don’t particularly feel like it and there is nothing particularly interesting to write about. 250 words.

July, 2006

Last Week In The Virginia Senate Race. 2006-07-03 2:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for George Allen, and Steve Jarding, spokesman for Jim Webb, spent the week trading insults over the flag burning amendment (Allen is for it, Webb opposes it). The unfortunately-named Wadhams was trying to bait Webb into “blowing up” by deliberately pushing his buttons. As far as I can tell, nothing in the way of intelligent debate occurred. 130 words.
Weekend Senate Update. 2006-07-10 7:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t see Webb and Allen on Stephanopoulos yesterday, so I don’t have any comment about it. I’ve already made up my mind about the Senate race anyway. There’s no point in confusing the issue by listening to the candidates. 118 words.
Monday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-10 7:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in my new series of lazy blogging link-fests, otherwise known as “the things I didn’t have anything to add to.” Feel free to skip if you don’t care what I think is informative reading. 123 words.
Wednesday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-12 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I actually collected these yesterday and forgot to post them. 125 words.

August, 2006

What I’ve Learned From Allen’s Racial Slur. 2006-08-16 5:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve learned… a new racial slur! Though I’m still not quite clear what ethnicity it’s supposed to demean. Indians? 125 words.
Webb Pulls Even… Somehow. 2006-08-22 5:10 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is pretty amazing: Despite Webb’s under-funded non-campaign, a new SurveyUSA poll shows he’s now basically tied with Allen, 48-45. Not that I’m complaining, but how does he do it? He did the same thing to Harris Miller in the primary – no money, no advertising, no message – and he still won. 53 words.

September, 2006

George Allen On The Radio. 2006-09-11 7:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Oh… I heard George Allen briefly on the radio this morning (you can find the interview at WRVA’s site, if you have the slightest interest in anything a politician has to say). I don’t remember much of anything he said during the interview, except something about trying to be a father figure for one of his neighbor’s kids who had lost his father in the Pentagon attack on 9/11 (gag), but I explicitly remember the way he ended the interview. 137 words.
It’s Time For An Exciting Senate Update!. 2006-09-15 7:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In case you’re wondering what’s going on in the Virginia senate race, here’s a quick update: Jim Webb’s staffers made fun of something George Allen said, which was echoed and amplified in the Virginia liberal blogosphere. Then George Allen’s staffers made fun of something Jim Webb said, which was echoed and amplified in the Virginia conservative blogosphere. This process has repeated itself about seventy-three times. 183 words.
Debate Watched Successfully. 2006-09-18 2:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It was sometimes hard to hear the debate/dual-interview on Meet The Press over Mrs. Krehbiel’s virulent cursing whenever George Allen spoke, but I observed: George Allen is definitely a professional politician; that is, he failed to answer almost every single question directly. Instead, he recited Bush’s talking points almost word-for-word. I also happily noted that Jim Webb has made great progress in cutting the “ums” out of his speaking. 146 words.
Friday Wrap-up. 2006-09-22 7:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Let’s see, what’s been happening this week? I haven’t been paying much attention actually. Looks like a plan will be going forward to try the Gitmo detainees without having to re-write GC Article III. 248 words.
The Ethics Of Allen-Bashing. 2006-09-25 2:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Good news, everybody! According to former teammates, Allen used the “N-word” in college. 157 words.
More Lamentation On The State Of Democracy. 2006-09-29 3:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s one good thing about researching the potential Senate candidates and making your voting decision early in the year: You don’t have to pay attention to the actual campaigning, which is really just a big playground fight between the opposing campaign managers and has little or nothing to do with the candidates themselves. The drawback, of course, is that you get to watch the quality of public discourse plummet to new lows during the time you’re waiting to vote, and you come to the inevitable realization that elections are decided not by issues, but by manipulation of mass media. The key to victory, it seems, is to ensure that the media spends more time covering an accusation than a refutation, and lean on the average voter’s lack of political knowledge. 229 words.

October, 2006

Recent Discourses In Politics. 2006-10-02 6:07 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I guess that old joke about incumbents having to be caught with a dead girl or a live boy to lose an election isn’t so funny anymore, in light of Mark Foley’s resignation following hinky emails to teen page boys. 198 words.
My First Activism. 2006-10-06 12:32 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve never been much of a political activist, but this Marshall/Newman Amendment proposal here in Virginia annoys me. You know, the one that supposedly amends the Virginia constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. 274 words.
Book Burning Coming Soon. 2006-10-17 8:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s an attempt underway by some of the more desperate elements of the Virginia conservative blogosphere (aka. Allen’s A-Team and co.)–who not too long ago wrote, “let’s get back to the issues”–to focus on the campaign issue of racy content in Jim Webb’s novels. The gist of the argument is that Webb’s personal credibility as a Senator should be scrutinized because of the questionable conduct of fictional characters in his books. 169 words.
On Webb’s Novels. 2006-10-27 5:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
My opinion about Allen’s people using Webb’s novels against him is the same as it was when it was just some silly blogs doing it. It’s borderline-fascist anti-art propaganda, but a predictable desperation smear tactic. (I’m sure if Allen wrote fiction, Webb’s people would be doing it too.) 68 words.

November, 2006

Allen’s Stalker. 2006-11-01 2:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I hate to complain when awkward situations come up for George Allen, but this security incident has all the markings of a setup. I mean, a left-wing blogger, inspired by Michael Moore’s stalker movie Roger and Me, tries to ask Allen an awkward question (by shouting at him) right in front of the press? Come on. 140 words.
Kerry’s Unfortunate Misstatement. 2006-11-02 2:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is old news now (or should be, at least), but I couldn’t post yesterday. 365 words.
The Three Amendment Proposals. 2006-11-02 5:02 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last week, I came across this: Did you know there is more than one ballot amendment? To my surprise, I didn’t know there was more than the minority-hating amendment on the ballot. There’s actually 3 amendments. 108 words.
The Big Game. 2006-11-07 3:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For people who enjoy the “game” of politics, today is like the Super Bowl. Pundits have spent months hyping the game, analyzing every possible matchup, and making learned predictions, and the coaches have drawn up elaborate plans and strategies for victory. Today the fans are packed into the stadium and everyone else is glued to their televisions. 131 words.
Freedom Is On The March… Away From Virginia. 2006-11-08 6:59 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the harsh light of the morning after the political and media orgy known as Midterm Elections, we can now see that 57% of Virginia voters supported changing the constitution to make second class citizens out of unmarried couples. One has to wonder how many of those voters actually thought they were voting to prevent gay marriage. Idiots. 96 words.
Random Post-Election Thoughts. 2006-11-13 7:10 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Thank God it’s over. 217 words.

January, 2007

Nancy Pelosi and Big Tuna?. 2007-01-16 3:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually saw something interesting on RightsideVA (one of the SWAC blogs) over the weekend: Congress starting to smell “Fishy” already… I’m surprised this issue isn’t getting more attention, but I guess “the surge” is eclipsing everything else right now. Not to mention the new season of 24. 531 words.
Thoughts On The Next President. 2007-01-22 8:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
With the presidential race “heating up”–or, as I like to think of it, “just barely getting started”–I figured I should take some time to ponder what kind of president appeals to me. 588 words.
Joe Blackburn Challenges Walter Stosch In The 12th. 2007-01-23 2:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Continuing my effort to pay more attention to local politics, I see Not Larry Sabato is reporting that 12th District Virginia State Senate incumbent Walter Stosch will be challenged in the Republican primary by one Joe Blackburn. I don’t know anything about this Blackburn guy, but here is his campaign website, such as it is: www.joeblackburnforsenate.com. He says he’s a “commonsense conservative,” whatever that means. 89 words.
Hard-Hitting SOTU 2007 Observations. 2007-01-24 2:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here are some hard-hitting SOTU observations you won’t find anywhere else! (Mrs. Krehbiel also contributed to this list, though she probably doesn’t realize she was doing so.) 253 words.

February, 2007

Biden Announces, Shoots Foot. 2007-02-01 2:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sen. Joseph Biden announced his official intention to run for president in 2008 and simultaneously ensured he will lose every Democratic primary all in one fell swoop: Biden Says He’s In…Again. 280 words.

March, 2007

Stosch To Debate Blackburn. 2007-03-13 4:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Quick note: Not Larry Sabato is reporting on a brewing catfight (aka. debate) between Virginia General Assembly 12th District Senator Walter Stosch and primary challenger Joe Blackburn at the James River Republican Women’s Club. 139 words.

April, 2007

Bill Richardson Handicaps His Own Campaign. 2007-04-03 7:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
So far, I like the second-tier 2008 presidential candidates a lot more than the first-tier candidates. One of them, Bill Richardson, has just signed a bill allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes in New Mexico, according to CNN. At the risk of sounding cynical, this sounds like something that will probably doom him to remain in the second tier. 61 words.
Nancy Pelosi Talking To Syria??. 2007-04-04 4:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve tried to give Nancy Pelosi the benefit of the doubt, since she’s the first woman speaker and all. I didn’t make much of a fuss over that Big Tuna incident where she allegedly exempted one of her constituents from having to pay the federal minimum wage. I didn’t say anything about her demanding a huge, expensive, gas-guzzling military jet for her and her entourage to fly around the country in. 178 words.
Followup On Nancy Pelosi In Syria. 2007-04-10 8:02 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I wanted to follow up real quick on Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Syria. I took Alice’s advice and read a little bit from Media Matters on this subject and did indeed find that Republicans and talk radio/talk blogs were (imo) blowing things way out of proportion. They probably still would be if it weren’t for the Don Imus “controversy.” 199 words.
Joe Blackburn Endorsed. 2007-04-26 1:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here are some things I saw today about our very own Virginia Senate 12th District Republican primary coming up on June 12. 98 words.

May, 2007

Partisan Bickering Stinks. 2007-05-02 8:57 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m weary of all the partisan games over the Iraq “war” funding bill. Both Republican and Democratic legislators alike are acting thoroughly childish, imho. 154 words.
The Stosch Sentinel Arrives. 2007-05-12 2:31 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Quick notes from the Virginia Senate 12th District Republican primary race (which is effectively the election, since I seriously doubt if there’s going to be a Democratic challenger from this area): VCAP wrote a nice summary of the Walter Stosch v. Joe Blackburn debate. 83 words.
Hanger v. Sayre Highlights Why Politics Is Depressing. 2007-05-15 8:01 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since seemingly half of the Virginia political blogosphere resides in the Shenandoah Valley, a lot of bloggers are talking (aka. bickering) about the upcoming Republican primary between incumbent Emmett Hanger and challenger Scott Sayre for the 24th District Virginia Senate seat. The CASTLE bloggers in particular are working hard to get Scott Sayre elected. 316 words.
Ron Paul Challenges People’s Thinking. 2007-05-16 3:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I watched the second Republican “debate” last night (I’ve seen all the debates so far), and a couple things jumped out at me. (I put debate in quotes, of course, because they are not debates at all in the traditional sense. I’m not sure what you’d call them. 339 words.
Stosch/Blackburn Roundup. 2007-05-26 2:31 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The Hanger/Spammer…er…Sayre race in the 24th District is getting all the blog press here in Virginia, but there’s also a thrilling Republican primary race going on here in the 12th Senate District. (Thrilling in the sense that nobody seems particularly interested in it.) 157 words.
Ringside In The 24th District Primary. 2007-05-31 2:42 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Grab the soda and popcorn, it’s getting ugly in the Virginia 24th district primary race! Republitarian just reported that candidate Scott Sayre’s wife has been charged with driving while intoxicated – not once but twice. SWAC Girl called the report “slanderous,” although I think she is using a different dictionary than mine, because that word sort of implies “false,” which would require some sort of contradictory evidence to the DWI claims. 98 words.
Adventures With The Virginia Courts Case Information System. 2007-05-31 11:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Regarding the DWI charges against Mrs. Sayre, Republitarian cited: “Case # for first offense GV03000972-00. Case # for second offense GT063034-00.” I don’t live in the 24th, but I thought it might be fun to do a little fact-checking on this today. (I applaud Republitarian for giving voters the means to independently verify these claims.) I fired up the Virginia Courts Case Information system and started looking. 323 words.

June, 2007

Meanwhile, Back In The 12th. 2007-06-02 10:04 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Back here in the relatively uninteresting 12th Senate District, the Republican primary is all about taxes and spending. Stosch claims he’s an “effective cost-cutter”, while Blackburn claims Stosch is telling “one old fairy tale after another.” I have not done any fact-checking on either claim, because frankly I find the subject of taxes and spending incredibly dull. 202 words.
Tom’s Top Eight, May 16, 2007. 2007-06-06 11:24 AM.
- Personal
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For historical reference. 40 words.
Top Eight Following CNN Debates. 2007-06-06 11:46 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m trying a silly little experiment this presidential election. I’m keeping scorecards on the mainstream presidential candidates and numerically rating each one in a variety of categories. This allows me to select the next president mathematically. 107 words.
Virginia Blog Presidential Endorsements. 2007-06-08 8:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m updating from time to time. See notes below. 183 words.
Stosch v. Blackburn 12th Senate District Updates. 2007-06-10 7:21 PM.
- Commentary
Elephant Ears reports on campaign fundraising in the 12th Senate District. Not surprisingly, incumbent Walter Stosch is leading in this department. The Virginian Federalist reports that Stosch’s latest mailer accuses Blackburn of “mud slinging and sleaze.” * I received a mailing from a place called Leadership for Virginia which is endorsing Walter Stosch and pushing hard for anyone and everyone to vote in the primaries. “There will be no Democratic candidate,” it reads. “The outcome will determine your Virginia State Senator for the next four years.” (emphasis theirs) 107 words.
From Equality Virginia. 2007-06-11 5:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For anyone who might still be making up their mind about Stosch v. Blackburn and is wondering about their position on social issues as opposed to taxes, Mrs. Krehbiel received this bit of information in an email from Equality Virginia (who is endorsing Walter Stosch). 97 words.
Vote Rocked (Updated). 2007-06-12 1:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Well, I participated in American Democracy this morning. Somehow it doesn’t leave me feeling as patriotic as it probably should. I think it has something to do with the creepy old lady that’s always there handing out the “I voted” stickers when you leave. 254 words.
Uh Oh. 2007-06-12 11:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[…] 0 words.
Post-Primary Observations. 2007-06-13 1:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m not a political expert, but here’s some of my observations about the 12th District and 24th District primaries. (I didn’t pay much attention to any other primaries.) 200 words.
Great Reference. 2007-06-14 9:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
750 Volts has compiled a very nice summary of Virginia Senate races coming up this November. Check it out, it’s a great reference. 23 words.
Brace For More Negative Ads. 2007-06-25 10:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I see that the Supreme Court has allowed political “issue ads” again. Personally I don’t see how those sorts of ads are helpful to society, but I guess it’s free speech (assuming you’ve got enough money to buy the ad time, that is). I suppose we’ll be bombarded by even more negative advertising from the big money lobbyists now. 123 words.

July, 2007

The Torturous CNN YouTube Debate. 2007-07-25 2:39 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
We only watched about 45 minutes of the YouTube “debate” Monday night in the Krehbiel household before giving up. I tried to watch a little bit more of it tonight on the DVR, thinking I should at least make an effort to watch the entire thing before commenting on it, but I just couldn’t take it seriously. It was incredibly inane. 202 words.

August, 2007

Barack and Pakistan. 2007-08-02 11:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Note: I think it’s about time for me to declare blogging bankruptcy. I am defining this somewhat like email bankruptcy, except it is a declaration that I will never, ever be able to find time to write polished blog posts on the subjects running around in my head. So I’m going to revert to a more stream-of-consciousness format. 164 words.
Missed Debates. 2007-08-09 11:24 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve missed several presidential debates in the past week. 22 words.

September, 2007

The Larry Craig Irony. 2007-09-01 3:03 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Life is filled with irony. It is rather ironic that mere days after the untimely death of Richard Jewell, a man whose reputation was destroyed by the collective incompetence of the media after the Atlanta Olympics bombing in 1996 – a man whose untimely death was recently reported widely by the media almost as if they were trying to seek atonement for their previous misdeed – we now see Sen. Larry Craig’s reputation and career being destroyed by the exact same media. 168 words.
Well I Bombed The Civics Quiz. 2007-09-26 1:51 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I missed 14 of the 60 questions on this “simple” civics quiz (spotted on United Conservatives of Virginia), which would have barely gotten me a D back when I was in high school (which is roughly the grade I typically got in government classes, come to think of it). I got killed on the topics of philosophers and economics. (“Keynesian economists”? 85 words.

December, 2007

So That’s What Christmas Is. 2007-12-17 11:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I see that there is much outrage amongst Republican bloggers over 9 Democrats voting no on H. Res. 847, a bill recognizing Christmas as an important holiday to Christians. 355 words.

January, 2008

New Hampshire Independents. 2008-01-10 12:06 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the 2008 New Hampshire primaries, 42% of registered Independents voted Democratic and 34% voted Republican. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#val=NH 109 words.
Candidate Ratings. 2008-01-11 11:04 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t think a president needs too many skills. Delivering a good speech and bartering with foreign leaders is about it. Other than that, I figure the actual work of running the country is delegated far down the chain of command and the president himself is just a figurehead embodying the spirit of America to the rest of the world. 566 words.

February, 2008

The Worth Of The Virginia Primary. 2008-02-02 12:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Many bloggers here are hoping (a bit desperately, I think) that the Virginia presidential primiaries on February 12 will matter. I’m skeptical. 352 words.
Slightly Different Analogy. 2008-02-03 10:39 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ann Coulter: “Are you too busy boning up on Consumer Reportsâ€™ reviews of microwave ovens to spend one day thinking about who should be the next leader of the free world? Are you familiar with our â€˜no exchange/no returnâ€™ policy on presidential candidates? Voting for McCain because he was a POW a quarter-century ago or Huckabee because he was a Baptist preacher is like buying a new car because you like the color.” 100 words.
Primary Results Spreadsheet. 2008-02-06 11:25 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In case anyone is interested, I’ve been keeping an Excel spreadsheet summarizing the 2008 primary results. I made it because I couldn’t find anything on the web that gave a chronological summary. You can find an HTML copy of it here: 2008 Presidential Primary Results. 73 words.
Primary Eve. 2008-02-11 10:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Despite keeping a semi-watchful eye on the 2008 presidential race for what seems like an eternity, I have no idea who to vote for tomorrow. There are huge negatives with each one of the remaining candidates. 160 words.
Ralph!. 2008-02-24 10:53 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ralph joins the race! Down with the corporations! I like this story mainly because it challenges the idea that God handed down a two-party system to America carved on stone tablets, and we citizens should learn to not just accept it but embrace it unquestioningly. 90 words.
What Does Unofficial Mean?. 2008-02-25 11:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just out of curiousity, when one pastes a verbatim copy of a campaign press release into an unofficial campaign blog without any attribution, is it still appropriate to call it an “unofficial” blog? And when that same unofficial blog feed appears right on the official campaign web site without any disclaimers, with “Paid for by Jim Gilmore for Senate” at the bottom of the page, is it still appropriate to call it an “unofficial” blog? Seems like somebody should clarify that. 81 words.

March, 2008

On Obama’s Pastor. 2008-03-18 2:11 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I got the sense today that some of the anti-Obama people have been dying for a story like the one about his pastor to come out, so they can have a legitimate, politically correct reason to despise him. Previously, they would just hem and haw and say things like, “Well, I don’t know… he doesn’t have much experience, does he?” Now they are all buzzing around like, “Did you hear what that pastor said? He’s a raving lunatic! 236 words.

April, 2008

Obama is no Kennedy. 2008-04-08 1:36 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
An old post from my Drafts… 335 words.
The Upside of the McCain Backlash. 2008-04-28 10:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Funny stuff from United Conservatives’ Cargosquid, which I think generally exemplifies the Virginia conservative Republican sentiment about the upcoming presidential election: F**K YOU MCCAIN! An open letter to the McCain campaign. On the plus side, I admire his honesty. 163 words.

June, 2008

Third Parties For President. 2008-06-08 10:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
To do my small part to destroy the thought-stifling two-party political system in America, here is some information about third-party presidential candidates running in 2008. This information was gathered from Wikipedia and various Google searches. 210 words.
No Primaries For Me. 2008-06-10 2:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Primary day today in Virginia, but not for me. It’s just another boring work day unless you live in the 8th, 10th, or 11th districts. 193 words.
Influence Peddling. 2008-06-15 5:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I came across an old post where I mentioned that “unofficial” Bloggers 4 Jim Gilmore content appeared on Jim Gilmore’s official site without any disclaimers. Out of curiousity I went back to the official site and there is now a suitable disclaimer at the bottom of the aggregator page. I expect my BNN influence rating to improve because of this. 61 words.
Silliness from McCain. 2008-06-24 9:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s something I don’t get about John Sidney McCain’s offshore drilling policy. He’s fine with tearing up the oceans looking for oil in the continental shelves, but he’s against drilling for the oil we know is there in ANWR. Kids, can you say, “pandering for votes?” Or, “have your cake and eat it too?” Or maybe just plain, “WTF?” 108 words.
Budgets of Glimore vs. Warner. 2008-06-24 9:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been watching the recent exchange* between Waldo and Spank with interest. 414 words.
Eric Cantor for VP!. 2008-06-26 8:22 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Lots and lots of reports completely unsubstantiated rumors are flying around that Eric Ivan Cantor could become John Sidney McCain’s running mate. As someone who lives in Virginia’s 7th district, I’d also like to urge the The Partisan Robot to leave… err… run. 43 words.

July, 2008

Reversal of Fortunes. 2008-07-02 1:56 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I found this post on Too Conservative somewhat amusing: When Surrogates Attack. It’s a warning to Barack Hussein Obama and his surrogates about going down the road of attacking the military service of John Sidney McCain. 180 words.
NanoPost: Furman on SWAC Girl. 2008-07-23 9:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Jerry Furman hailed SWAC Girl’s coverage of the Homestead debate between Jim Gilmore and Mark Warner as “unbiased” (compared to the local media’s coverage). That makes perfect sense, because SWAC Girl is an enthusiastic Republican activist, vice chairwoman of the Augusta County Republican Committee, and a public supporter of Jim Gilmore for Senate. 53 words.
Political Chess Overseas (updated). 2008-07-26 3:08 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Too Progressive gives us the scoop (actually just links to the YouTube where Andrea Mitchell gives us the scoop). One of the meatiest nuggets that conservatives have found in Obama’s overseas junket to reinforce their “Hussein” fantasies is that he snubbed wounded troops !! in Germany. 588 words.

August, 2008

Election of Childish Nicknames. 2008-08-06 10:02 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
If you want to be taken seriously in political discourse today, it’s very, very important to create a childish nickname for the opposition – you know, something that would fit in with the fourth grade playground set. Here’s a look at the playing field so far. 445 words.
Blogger Shutdowns. 2008-08-06 10:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s been some consternation lately about Google allegedly “shutting down” some blogs that were critical of Barack HUSSEIN! Obama. 525 words.
omgwtfbbq #dontgo. 2008-08-07 1:55 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Virginia blogger Scott White has been spamming the Virginia blogosphere with breathless posts about the Twitter thread #dontgo for the last several days. It’s being called a “movement,” a “turning point,” a “revolution,” an “online orgy of oil drilling bliss” (okay, I made that one up). 326 words.
Never Trust An Accent. 2008-08-09 1:52 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t think it was still possible for me to be disappointed in elected officials… John Reid Edwards’ admission of an affair proves they can never be trusted. I was actually somewhat impressed by the improvement in his rhetoric in the 2008 primaries. I should never have fallen for that Southern Baptist-sounding* accent. 94 words.
Obama’s VP. 2008-08-19 11:04 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Three different scoops about Obama’s VP pick: One for Kaine, one for Bayh, and one for Biden. Take your pick. 20 words.
Obama’s VP Part 2. 2008-08-21 12:21 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
One of the previously mentioned scoopers now has a new scoop: Hillary. 145 words.
Biden As VP. 2008-08-25 11:09 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I actually like Joe Biden. He is long-winded, yes, and I don’t agree with all of his policies, but he always seems to skip past the B.S. and get right to the point. 246 words.
The Conventions Part 1. 2008-08-29 3:20 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
We’ve been watching the DNC on C-SPAN this week. If you’re masochistic enough to want to watch a partisan convention, C-SPAN is definitely the way to go. It entirely cuts out the commercials and painfully ridiculous commentary that typically comes with the news networks. 434 words.
Palin as VP. 2008-08-29 11:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I said before I thought Biden was an “interesting and bold choice” for Obama. Well, today McCain actually one-upped him. Gov. 374 words.

September, 2008

Virginia Third Parties in November. 2008-09-01 2:20 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was curious to see how many third parties made it onto the ballot here in Virginia, so I went over to the Virginia State Board of Elections. Here are the candidates that will be appearing on the ballot in Virginia for U.S. Senate. 142 words.
This Is An Outrage. 2008-09-01 5:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I am outraged that Hurricane Gustav is interfering with the Republican National Convention. How am I supposed to compare it with the DNC now? 154 words.
Prediction. 2008-09-04 2:31 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I am going to make a bold prediction that Republicans will praise Sarah Palin’s speech (probably using baseball metaphors), and Democrats will not. 23 words.
Common Ground. 2008-09-05 12:52 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m going to try to find some common ground with Gov. Sarah Palin. 77 words.
Secure Your Teleprompter Text. 2008-09-05 1:49 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was scanning over Gov. Palin’s speech as it was pasted at Caroline County VA Justice (original source unknown), and stumbled over this part, which plenty of others have also noticed. 65 words.
Liberal Media Bias Again. 2008-09-05 1:49 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s some more of that damn liberal media bias again. I’m glad conservatives are finally holding the media accountable for this foolishness. 46 words.
Comparison of VP speeches. 2008-09-05 1:56 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I thought it would be instructive to compare the tone of the personal attacks in the vice-presidential candidate speeches at their respective conventions. 691 words.
The Conventions Part 2. 2008-09-05 10:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m not going to lie to you: The RNC was nowhere near as entertaining as the DNC. (Except as seen on The Daily Show.) Here are the all-star speakers from CSPAN’s YouTube channel: George Bush (introduced by Laura Bush), Fred Thompson, Joe Lieberman, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, Lindsey Graham, Tom Ridge, Cindy McCain, John McCain. (Remember bloggers, embeds are not valid HTML. 173 words.

October, 2008

The Cynical Election Roundup. 2008-10-20 3:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
By the way, I’m purposefully avoiding writing and especially reading further about the presidential election. Thankfully I already have all the information I need to make a decision, because if I didn’t, I definitely wouldn’t be getting anything useful from television, radio or the blogosphere. I feel badly for anyone actually trying to decide how to vote right now. 143 words.

November, 2008

A Minor Reflection upon the Election. 2008-11-04 10:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For some parts of the country, tomorrow will be a day of joy and relief, and for others, it will be a day of anger and despair. Both of those extremist groups will be flailing around a lot on television, radio, and the Internet in the days and weeks ahead while media producers scramble to further dramatize what is supposed to be the (latest) defining news event of our time. 256 words.
Poll Results from 2000 and 2004. 2008-11-04 10:25 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s popularly believed (at least by the handful of people that I’ve overheard lately) that polls don’t mean anything, and the actual results of today’s election will be far different from what the media says it will be. I tend to agree with that theory, up to a point*. But I was curious to see if that viewpoint bears up against the historical evidence from the 2000 and 2004 elections, which as you may remember turned out to be toss-ups. 193 words.
Post-Election Musing. 2008-11-06 12:07 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I have many post-election thoughts. 571 words.

December, 2008

Blagojevich, the Transition and the Shoe. 2008-12-22 10:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I haven’t written much lately because I don’t have a lot of spare time. Well, that’s not exactly true. The more accurate statement is that I don’t feel like using up my spare time writing. 420 words.

March, 2009

Virginia 2009 Statewide Candidates. 2009-03-01 5:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I finally sat down and made a list of the announced candidates for statewide office in Virginia this year. These are all the candidates I could find, which is not to say there aren’t any more out there that I missed (like third party candidates, which I found zero information about). 193 words.

May, 2009

Obama’s First 100 Days. 2009-05-03 10:22 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t really have much to say about Obama’s First 100 Days. There was some good stuff (stem cell research) and some bad stuff (bowing to that Saudi king). All in all, it was pretty ordinary for a presidential administration, as far as I’m concerned. 369 words.

June, 2009

Virginia Primaries this Tuesday. 2009-06-07 12:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This Tuesday is primary day in Virginia. 168 words.

July, 2009

On the Climate Bill and the Worthless Congress. 2009-07-02 1:13 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m no fan of Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) - in fact, I typically can’t stand the sound of his voice. But I applaud him for taking an hour to try to call attention to the way Henry Waxman’s (D-CA) Climate Bill (H.R.2454) was recently ramrodded through the House without anyone reading it. 319 words.
Quick Thoughts on Sarah Palin’s Resignation. 2009-07-04 6:31 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Blogs on the right are saying Gov. Sarah Palin resigned because the left’s smear tactics finally got to her, blogs on the left are saying Gov. Palin quit because she’s dumb and irrational. 311 words.
Catherine Crabill and the Erosion of Democracy. 2009-07-20 1:24 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I feel compelled to write a little bit about Catherine Crabill (R), who is running for delegate in Virginia’s 99th district against incumbent Albert Pollard (D). Normally you don’t hear much about local delegate races unless you happen to live in the area, but in this case she’s caught the attention of the mighty Huffington Post after her ballot box and bullet box remarks were caught on tape by a tracker. 408 words.
Deeds v. McDonnell: The First Debate. 2009-07-25 11:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I thought I’d write a little review of the first debate between Bob McDonnell (R) and Creigh Deeds (D), which hopefully will not sound exactly like the hundred other partisan debate wrap-ups out there. 660 words.

August, 2009

Jim Moran’s Town Hall Meeting. 2009-08-27 1:45 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I recorded about half of Jim Moran’s town hall meeting from C-SPAN Tuesday night and just finished watching it. Am I missing something, or are these things a total waste of time? Have they always been this animated or is this a recent development? 439 words.

October, 2009

Gubernatorial Smackdown Tonight. 2009-10-12 9:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s a Virginia gubernatorial debate tonight at 8 PM (see Creigh’s writeup and Bob’s writeup). This one will actually be broadcast on local television (I think this is the first one but I’m not sure) so you won’t have to fight with streaming video to see it. 170 words.

July, 2010

Political Blogging Blues. 2010-07-08 12:54 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Semi-recent posts by F.T. Rea and Vivian Paige about political blogging got me thinking about my own lack of interest in politics lately. I don’t consider myself a “political blogger” in the accepted sense, but I certainly fall into the category of people that are less interested in politics this year. 833 words.

August, 2010

A Disturbing Civil War Parallel. 2010-08-03 11:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
We were watching Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary the other day, and I commented that I used to think it was impossible to imagine a civil war in America, but lately it seems more and more plausible. 138 words.

October, 2010

The 2010 “Race” in the Virginia 7th District. 2010-10-12 1:51 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s that time of year again. The time when we in the Virginia 7th District pretend Eric Cantor has some competition for his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. 142 words.
Read George Washington’s Farewell Address. 2010-10-28 10:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
All those voting in the mid-term election next week (that’s everyone, right?) should take some time and read George Washington’s Farewell Address. Wikipedia also has a synopsis of the Address if your literacy skills are inadequate. 218 words.

November, 2010

The 2010 Mid-Term Election Prediction Post. 2010-11-02 1:20 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t normally do election predictions, but in this case I feel pretty safe in predicting: Republicans will win more than Democrats tomorrow. 212 words.

January, 2011

George Allen Running For 2012 Senate. 2011-01-31 11:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
So I saw that George Allen is running for Jim Webb’s Senate seat in 2012, which I suppose means we can look forward to another Virginia election cycle full of Democratic bloggers and consultants pushing “macaca” as their go-to strategy. Everything old is new again, or something. 179 words.

April, 2012

Next Victim Please. 2012-04-14 11:28 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
E. Wayne Powell is the next Democrat to charge incumbent Eric Cantor’s machinegun nest in the Virginia 7th District House of Representatives election. 68 words.

November, 2024

Election Day Diary 2024. 2024-11-05 6:42 PM.
- Blog
Random notes from an exciting/terrifying election day in America, which somehow doesn’t talk about politics. 2,664 words.
Post Election Remarks 2024. 2024-11-10 9:18 PM.
- Blog
The much-edited post-election missive and the biggest test of my spam filter yet. This one gets more political, but there won’t be any angry outbursts. 1,995 words.

January, 2025

Inauguration Day 2025. 2025-01-20 2:30 PM.
- Blog
Just some thoughts on inauguration day of the 47th U.S. president. 297 words.